Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? This is slightly off-topic because I could care less who ends up on the front of the FC Dallas shirt so long as it helps make the team viable as its own entity. You guys ever watch Fox Football Fone-in (used to be Fox Football Friday)? While I do not always hold to the opinions of the hosts, they usually have some interesting- if brief- commentary on MLS. One of the repeated complaints about MLS is the parity issue. All the teams are the virtually the same (from an outsider's perspective) and no true powerhouses can be born in which to galvanize audiences to either love or hate (take Liverpool or Chelsea, for example). Well, maybe this Shirt deal is something that will be the first domino to fall that will create powerhouse teams. For example, the better teams or more marketable teams get the best sponsorships which leads to better player aquisition which leads to the early stages of dynasty. Will LA profit from this before Columbus or even Dallas? Most likely. Of course, the next problem is league ownership of the clubs, but that's not what I'm talking about. A point about shirt sponsorship that I would like to make on my own is this: I was a fan of the Euro leagues before I became a fan of MLS, which I still feel is new to me. Shirt sponsorship "looks" right to people like me who got used to it from watching the Euro leagues. I cannot say for sure that these untapped American soccer fans will love MLS just because Ford is on the front of a shirt, but the appearance will look "right" to them. Meanwhile, for the fans of MLS already here, it will not make one bit of difference. You'll still buy the shirts, the merch, whatever, because you love the team.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? In many ways I'm with Chamo on this. Brings up all kinds of bad memories about the Cotton Bowl becoming the Exxon Cotton Bowl, which was the day I realized that the world is 100% full of corporate whores and things like "tradition" really don't stand much chance. I understand all kinds of arguments about wanting MLS to adopt ideas and traditions from other parts of the world. Yes, we should have the same rules as every one else. Yes, it'd be great if we had entire stadiums singing like the English. Yes, it'd be great if we had the same passion in the stands as they do in Latin America. But you know what, not everything is worth imitating. Call me old fashioned, but corporate advertising IS NOT a tradition that I feel like embracing. It's just a real world fact that I put up with. So that's my nostalgic side. The more practical side is happy about another source of $$$ for the league, and also very interested in the idea that this new source of income might be a slight departure from the current parity situation. But am I looking forward to explaining to passers-by why I'm wearing a red and white striped shirt with a big freaking Taco Bell logo on the front? Not really. And to that end I don't really care if it's Taco Bell, Trojan Condoms, Haliburton, Frito Lay, or Monsanto.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? Look Mom It's the Pizza Huts Vs. the Red Bulls
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? MLS made page 3 of digg today http://www.digg.com/view/all/page3 (search for "MLS") Go digg it!
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? Shaved Asians? I know Chapulincolorado would buy 10 jerseys!
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? Wrong. Stern never makes a move out of his own accord. Cuban and Yomark were the ones that exposed Stern to the possibility of doing this. http://themecca.blogspot.com/2005/05/usinger-bucks-david-stern-to-unleash_31.html http://www.blogmaverick.com/2005/05/31/advertising-on-uniforms/ Reading the comments to Cuban's blog you can see why the big four are hestitant to pull the trigger. "Come here little MLS, why don't you try it? That way we don't risk losing any fans over this."
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? Worst idea ever? In this league? I'll assume you're just being dramatic.... I suppose you were in favor of the shoot-out over having ties as well? Weren't the shoot-outs there to attract those mainstream fans that you're worried about? This is a global sport - and the market for players and audience is global. Even the most casual fans know of Man U and have seen sponsors on their jerseys. If we ever hope to be competitive, we're going to need money. This seems like a no brainer.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? No, you are way off base here. I wanted the game to be played like it is played every else. As far as being dramatic, this is bigsoccer... You don't become global by putting an ad on your uniform. You become global by playing teams from around the world in competitions that mean something. I am all for maximizing revenues. So let's see, around the world what is the greater source of revenue for clubs, TV? or uniform sponsorships? MLS just caught up to rest of the world in the TV revenue game. Why rush to do something that could be phased in later, considering it might negatively impact their new found source of revenue. Treat it as a college savings plan if you will. Once the TV deals are in solid enough ground that they are guaranteed to renewed, go crazy with uniform sponsors. By then, one of the big four probably will have started doing as well.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? I honestly cannot remember a time when I didn't see sponsor logos on soccer jerseys. Since it is so widely accepted within the sport it would be foolish not to cash in on a revenue stream.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? Chamo, I think you are missing a VERY obvious point here. Think about this for a minute. You are correct about the TV deals being a great new source of revenue, but you want to wait on another potentially lucrative source of income for the league/teams? The reason to add the shirt sponsorships now is because of the TV, not in place of it. The Shirt sponsorships dovetail precisely with the TV contracts, in fact, TV is the reason why the shirt deals make sense. You can't see the damned adverts on the shirts (except up very close) when you are at the game, but on the tube, every close-up is another walking, talking, Landon Donovan-based ad for XYZ Corp. Mark Cuban says it about the NBA- let the jerseys be billboards. Let the fans wear the billboards, too. Call it crass if you like, but the NBA is going to be next.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? I previously osted [paraphrasing] <<< barring EEStor being the jersey sponsor, then " a beer" >>> however thinking about the itsy-bitsy detail that the logo of whomever would also appear on the reserve team and the affiliated YOUTH hoops teams ... well maybe a beer company wouldn't be so great after all. so. back to hoping for EEStor. EEStor don't have a product yet ... but ... well ... nobody's perfect! {wonder how that affects LAG and their Budweiser situation } not eestor {clothes } but EEStor [electric storage]
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? For once, I agree with Chapu! Hooray, Beer! (And by the way, where do you get these amazing avatars? Wow!)
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? This only makes sense if they are going to use the Univision TV deal to heavily market to the hispanic market. The only sports fan market of any significant size in the US that would not have any problems with sponsorships on uniforms. Maybe that's the plan, who knows at this point. Ads in of themselves won't do much to reach that market if MLS isn't playing the teams from the various mother lands on the field in competitions that mean something.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? I don't think knowledgable soccer fans are going to be put off by the adverts at all. And for "new" soccer fans, it'll just a be a repeat of every other soccer league they come across. As far as you second point, I would love to see MLS teams playing in meaningful competitions against other countries' teams, too. However, now we're drifting off into the problem of MLS being a summer league here; our seasons just don't coincide enough for MLS teams to be involved, do they? If our teams become involved, as the season stands, they'll be playing year-round, which I don't think is good for anyone. So, here is what I think: You keep building the league as it is, keep the summer schedule and - hopefully- build a bigger and better fanbase through increased TV exposure and sponsorship deals to continue to make the league viable. Then, at some point in the future, MLS needs to switch to a winter schedule to better allow the club's participation in international competitions. Then, in my mind, is when DC United or FC Dallas or -insert MLS club here- can become important on the international stage.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? as soon as Pizza Hut was mentioned i immediately flashed back to the old Fulham FC kits from 2000-2002
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? LOL....That's a secret that I'll to my death bed.
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? yeah holmes, you got to tell me the name of that chick. one of the only reasons I get on this forum is to check her out this hole FCD thing is just a big cover up
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? Citgo? Why not go for the parent company PDVSA? That way people would no longer ask what FC stands for? Playing along now, the best fit in the entire league would be Chivas Regal for Chivas USA
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? ok ok ok! I got it. if EEStor doesn't come through with their civilization-disrupting invention --- then my second choice would be Brazilian coffee --- maybe idrinkgoodcoffee will second me on this? Club Atletico Paranaense is in or near the altitude part of Brazil where they grow the premium Brazilian [not the lowland Robusta] ... so that would tie-in with our sister club right there ... ... there must be a Brazilian equivalent of Juan Valdez ???? I'm ok with the logos on the chest --- as long as they don't put "Best Seat in the House" on the butt! like somebody in A-League iirc had. Who was that sponsor? Ticketmaster?
Re: What sponsor would you want on the front of our shirts? But if the quest for the long term buck hinders the short term buck, then we all go home early. About four years ago I was working for a small publishing company that was working on its biggest project. Once completed, it was going to secure the growth and success of the organization for the next couple years. Unfortunately, we ran out of cash to pay the bills and 80% of the salaried staff got laid off.